India’s industrial output grew 4.4% in March as compared to the same month last year, according to data released by the Central Statistics Office of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. This is the slowest industrial expansion in five months.

In February, India’s factory output had grown by 7.1% over the same month in 2017.

Manufacturing grew at 4.4% against 8.7% in February. Mining grew at 2.8% against -0.3% and electricity grew at 5.9% against 4.5% in February.

Only 11 out of 23 industry groups in the manufacturing sector showed positive growth in March, with “manufacture of furniture” recording the highest of 41.5%, compared to 11.9% last March.

The industry group “other manufacturing” recorded the highest negative growth of -30.7% followed by -20.6% in “manufacture of tobacco products”.

The growth rate of primary goods was pegged at 2.9% for March, intermediate goods at 2.1% and infrastructure and construction goods at 8.8%.